By Marja Rönty
Bad breath is one of those things in life we would rather not think about but find ourselves tripping over every once in a while. It is relatively common – half of all people report fuming occasional odeur de ew, while bad breath is the third common dental complaint after cavities and gum disease.
Sadly, getting yourself tested for rotten egg breath is seen as a cosmetic problem and therefore a cause of embarrassment rather than a medical urgency. Being the fearless breed at RESCU, we dived headfirst into the opportunity to visit Dr Speiser at Australian Breath Clinic for a quick and reliable Halicheck breath test.
We filled in a lifestyle checklist and then breathed for a minute into a gas chromograph to collect our mouth gases – some 50 of them – after which our breath was measured and transformed into clear graphs on a computer screen for a somewhat scary result.
Unpleasant odours are caused by three distinct gases – hydrogen sulfide, methylmercaptan and dimethyl sulfide – that can be tracked down to either nasal or gum problems, or good old bad oral hygiene. Once the cause is found, fixing medical or lifestyle issues or cleaning errors is the next step.
A constantly accumulating buildup from food coats the tongue, teeth, gums and throat. If it is not removed every 12 hours, this buildup becomes mature enough for floating bacteria to settle and start to break down the proteins within the buildup. The gases that are the by-product of this breakdown are the main cause of bad breath.
Assuming you floss and brush at least twice daily for ten minutes, the best way to achieve angelic breath is to adjust the diet.
Proteins, especially from cheese, break down to foul sulphites and should be avoided alongside acidic foods and dehydration caused by coffee and alcohol. It makes you wonder how French managed to become the language of love. Reading the banish list caused us existential problems regarding our late-night cheese and wine excursions followed by a strong morning cuppa to kill the hangover.
However, dieting in general is a huge no-no as not eating causes a smelly ketone (by-product of fat breakdown) buildup, so there is a trade-off to eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. So long it’s not a ham-and-cheese sammie washed down with a beer.
Dr Speiser’s recommendations:
1. Brush at least twice a day and floss thoroughly.
2. Use a specifically manufactured brush and gel to clean the tongue.
3. Use a nasal rinse if problems originate from the nose.
4. Avoid commercial mouthwashes as these contain drying agents.
5. Cut out all dairy and limit acidic foods (coffee, alcohol and soft drinks).
6. Eat regular meals, but do not graze throughout the day.
7. Save protein-rich foods for dinner so you have more time to clean afterwards.
For more info, visit www.badbreath.com.au
More Rescu. health articles:
1. A Diet High in Fish Improves Gum Health
2. Fat Myths Debunked
3. Get Your Beauty Sleep
